Beyond the Masks We Wear
by Rayjpop
Summary: Bruce had never visited the annual summer circus that was near his neighborhood. Until the day his mother gave him a week pass. There he meets the most confusing and sometimes irritating teen. Teenage AU Bruce/Clint Rated M for themes
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Basically I've had this idea bouncing around my head ever since I saw The Avengers earlier this summer. If you have read any of my previous works, I apologize for not writing on those, but I have been out of ideas for a while. So until school starts, I won't write that much (probably)

This is AU where Bruce and Clint are teenagers! And where Clint is in the circus.

_Warnings/Triggers:_ Attempted suicide, abusive/absentee father, orphaned teen, and forced performance (kinda).

* * *

**Beyond the Masks We Wear**

Bruce Banner never had any special memories or feelings about the circus that appeared near his neighborhood every summer. He wasn't a fan of it but that didn't mean he outright hated it. Most of the time, he avoided the area around the location of the big red and white tents mainly due to the fact that the library was located in the opposite direction.

"Bruce, honey! Could you please come help me set the table for dinner?" He heard his mother calling from the kitchen. Hopping off the edge of the window, as he was currently straddling the edge, dangling one of his legs in the cool night air. Walking down the hall and into the living/dinning room combo, noticing an envelope where he usually sat for dinner.

"Mom, did I get this in the mail? It only has my name on it." Bruce asked holding the envelope like it would grow teeth and bite him. His mother walked in holding two plates and two sets of silverware.

"It's a gift from me, for your wonderful academic progress this past school year. It's a week-long pass to the circus."

After dinner, Bruce offered to help with dishes but his mother refused, telling him that the opening day of the circus was tomorrow and she expected him to use it at least once. (It wasn't cheap to buy a week pass, even if the owner practically gave it to her for free, but Bruce didn't need to know that)

Glancing around his room, Bruce opted to just go to bed instead of reading the book on radiation theories or medicinal book. He had a standard room, four walls covered in posters of various scientists and periodic table. Books scattered over any surface where Bruce deemed readable, his bed, desk, and the floor near the window and stacked in random piles.

Lying on his bed, he stared out the window where he was previously at, watching the stars come in and out of visibility behind the clouds that rolled in. He planned on going to the circus to please his mother who decided that a pass to the circus was a good gift. While he laid there he got a sudden sharp pain in his side, pulling his shirt up and pressing his hand to the right side of his torso, he felt the scars that remained from his childhood.

* * *

Waking up to the warm summer breeze wafting in through his open window, Bruce stretched and yawned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Grabbing a maroon shirt and black plaid shorts from his dresser, he headed towards the shower. Washing the remaining sleep from his body, Bruce woke up and quickly turned knob towards the cold side. Normally he finished his showers by running ice-cold water over his face.

Stepping into the kitchen, he noticed a note from his mother on the fridge. Quickly glancing through the curly handwriting that was indicative to his mother, he noticed that she didn't leave a few chores for him to do, instead all that she had written was 'Have fun at the circus!'

Grabbing a thin jacket, his keys, the pass, wallet and iPod, Bruce walked out of his house and into a slightly warm summer day. Though with the clouds that loomed in the distance, he knew that a summer storm was on its way. He started walking in the direction of the circus, noticing as the closer he got, the more people were walking in the same direction.

He walked up to the ticket booth, not knowing where else to go, and waited in the relatively short line. He showed the person behind the protective Plexiglas shield his pass, and he got a bright orange wristband, just like everybody else there. Heading towards the main tent, he started looking for show times, and the next one would be starting in half an hour, so he had time to kill by wandering around the various attractions.

Passing the cages of lions, tigers and bear, he noticed a guy about his age sitting on the wooden fence that blocked the caged animal from the general public. He looked unafraid of being so close to the animal, as if they were friends.

Bruce shook his head trying to lose the train of thought that he was currently on. He glanced at his watch and noticed it was almost time for the first show. Turning around, he quickly headed back towards the main tent, walking right in and taking a seat on the bench near the front.

He watched in awe as the performers did their acts, cringing as the clown slipped on a banana peel, but laughed at the colorful explosion that resulted from said cliché slip. It wasn't until the ringleader announced that their next act would require a volunteer, and the light landed on him that he regretted coming to the circus.

Bruce walked down and stood there in the center of the ring, with an apple on his head before they announced the title of the next act. "The Blind Archer"

A familiar figure walked towards him and Bruce gasped when he recognized the teen sitting so close to the cage. Except he was wearing a purple costume and wielding a bow, he walked up to the quiver of arrows on the ground a good ways away from Bruce when he stopped. He tied a thick black cloth around his head, effectively blocking his vision and grabbed an arrow. Bruce gulped when he pulled back on the bowstring, and snapped his eyes shut when he heard the snap of the same string.

He heard the crowd cheer and noticed that the apple had been shot off his head. He released the breath that he hadn't noticed he was holding. The ringleader thanked Bruce for his participation and welcomed him to meet the archer after the show. Numbly nodding, Bruce walked back to his seat still receiving applause. For the rest of the act, Bruce couldn't keep his eyes off the archer who still had the blindfold on while still managing to hit the bull's-eye every time.

Bruce would definitely want to talk to this guy, even if he was still shaking from earlier.

* * *

**A/N:** How does the meeting between Bruce and this Blind Archer go? Find out in the next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: I want to thank you all for reading this, my second fic in the Hulkeye fandom! Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I am trying to remain IC, at least according to the movie, Avengers. But I know that I write AU because I can't grasp characters that well. Anyway, please enjoy!

This is AU where Bruce and Clint are teenagers! And where Clint is in the circus.

_Warnings/Triggers:_ Attempted suicide, abusive/absentee father, orphaned teen, and forced performance (kinda).

* * *

**Beyond the Masks We Wear**

Bruce walked through the massive crowd of people, just a few minutes after the show ended, and made his way against the crowd towards the back of the tent. He hoped that the ringleader hadn't just said he could meet the troupe as a way to placate Bruce after his impromptu involvement in the act. He pulled the curtain back and poked his head through, hoping that he wasn't disturbing anyone, there he saw the Blind Archer sitting on an ornate decrepit chair staring blankly into nothingness.

"E-excuse me?" Bruce shyly said, trying to get the attention of the teen that shot an arrow at his head.

"Hey, it's you!" Jumping to his feet, the blonde archer extended his hand, "My name's Clint."

Bruce shook his hand, getting distracted by the blue-green eyes that seemed to sparkle.

"It's your turn dude." Clint whispered with a smirk on his face.

"Sorry, I'm Bruce." He flushed a deep red when he realized that he couldn't stop staring into Clint's eyes.

"Lets get out of this hot tent, there's someone I want you to meet, and she'll love you Bruce." Clint, still holding Bruce's hand from the handshake, pulled him out of the tent and towards the wooden fence he had previously occupied.

Standing in front of a lioness wasn't something Bruce thought he would ever do in his life, yet here he was, standing a few feet away from a predator. Clint just walked up and held out a hand, while Bruce watched in awe as the beast sniffed and licked his hand.

"Her name is Nat, short for Natasha, but nobody ever calls her by her full name. She doesn't like it. Come on Bruce, come closer. It's not like she's going to bite." Clint held out his other hand, offering it to Bruce who accepted it and slowly approached the lioness. Rubbing his hand gently across the fur of Natasha, Bruce laughed lightly, mostly out of fear.

They left Natasha where she was, lying in the shade of the oak tree and gnawing on a giant meat bone, and sat on the fence, just like Bruce had seen Clint earlier in the day. Instead of an awkward silence or unfamiliarity between the two, Clint fired off questions like it was going out of style.

"So Bruce, how old are you?" Clint asked, watching as Natasha jumped around in the grass, trying to catch something.

"I'm 17, a junior in high school."

"What brought you to the circus today?"

"My mom bought me a week pass for getting good grades this year."

"How good were they to get a pass for that long?"

"Well, I don't remember my GPA because it's been a long while since I even looked at it, but this year I managed straight A's, in all AP courses." Bruce blushed a deep crimson; he never liked discussing his own intellect, despite being one of the brightest students that school has ever seen. Instead of letting Clint direct the conversation entirely, and wanting to change the subject, Bruce started asking questions.

"You already know my age, so I want to know how old you are Clint, you look like you could still be in high school." Bruce asked, shifting on the fence, trying to keep his right leg from falling asleep, but failing at it.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I think I'm 19." Clint replied giving a small sad smile, causing Bruce to worry that he hit a nerve with the other teen.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know. I wouldn't …" Bruce apologized until Clint laughed, startling Bruce.

"It's fine. I just never knew my parents, they gave me up a few years after I was born. The orphanage thought I was around 3 maybe 4 when I arrived, but they weren't sure."

"Oh." Was all Bruce could manage, he instantly regretted bringing up Clint's age despite his attempt to quell Bruce's guilt. A minute of silence passed before Clint hopped off the fence.

"Lets go get something to eat, my treat." Clint's huge grin and bright eyes gave Bruce reassurance that everything was okay, that he hadn't stepped on toes or shoved his foot into his mouth.

They walked over to the only restaurant located within the circus and Clint ordered the food for both Bruce and himself. They walked over to the furthest table from the crowd, so they would have some privacy while they ate. While waiting for their food to arrive, Clint asked more questions.

"What's it like going to school? You must have lots of friends!" Bruce just gave a small shake of the head before deciding on an answer.

"School is…great. Except, I don't really have a lot of friends. Nobody seems to like me much."

Clint didn't think about hugging Bruce before, until he heard that Bruce didn't really have friends. He pulled the younger teen into a tight hug, saying that he does have a friend.

"I'm your friend Bruce. Don't be sad."

At that moment their food arrived, along with a loud wolf whistle from the waiter. Clint yelled a few obscenities at the man before taking a bite of the lasagna. They ate and continued asking millions of questions on anything that popped into their heads.

A couple of minutes after they finished eating, Bruce heard his cell phone ring. Grapping the device from his pocket, he sighed as he missed the call. He opened the flip phone and noticed he had 6 calls from his mother within the last 20 minutes.

"Clint, I'm sorry. I have to call my mother, would you mind?" Clint waved his hand before Bruce got out of his chair and walked a few feet away from Clint. He didn't care if Clint heard; he didn't want to be rude. He listened to the phone ring endlessly and got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He returned to Clint and saw that there were two glasses full with chocolate milkshakes.

"Something happened, my mom isn't picking up after just calling me. I've got to go make sure everything is okay." Bruce said trying to sound apologetic.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it; just let me know if there is anything I could do to help. Will you be back tomorrow?" Clint stood up, his face full of worry and concern and watched as Bruce nodded before turning to run out of the restaurant.

Bruce ran the short distance home, breathing heavily as he opened his door and quickly shut it behind him. He entered the kitchen and saw a figure standing over his mother, who was sprawled out on the floor. Bruce opened his mouth to yell when he was attacked by the figure, everything went black and Bruce only had one thought running through his head as he fell.

_How is HE here?_

* * *

**A/N: **It won't take much thinking to figure out this mystery figure, but for those who aren't able to figure it out, don't ruin it. I hope you enjoyed this, please let me know how I'm going, what you like, don't like, how I can improve.

Thanks

-RAY-


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** Thank you all for your support, I hope you enjoy this next chapter! Instead of waiting longer, I will end this here and start the chapter!

_Warnings/Triggers:_ Attempted suicide, abusive/absentee father, orphaned teen, and forced performance (kinda).

* * *

**Beyond the Masks We Wear**

Waking up with a groan, Bruce rubbed a hand against his face and immediately regretted it. The events of last night came back in sporadic sounds, flashes of images up until the last thing he remembered, fading into darkness. Sitting up in his bed, not wanting to get up too fast in the off chance he had a concussion. Groaning as he stood up, feeling his muscles stretch and joints pop, he walked to the bathroom after grabbing some clothes for when he finished his shower. Staring in the mirror, he wasn't surprised at what stared back at him. Black and purple bruises littered his face, mostly around his eye, which bore the brunt of his father's strike.

Pulling out the medium sized metal box from the cabinet beneath the sink, he left it on the counter as he turned on the water in the shower. Stepping into the scalding water, he scrubbed his body trying to forget the events that happened the night before. He wondered how he ended up in his bed, he knew that his father would have left him there so he decided that his mother must have carried him into his room and put him in his bed. He laughed at image of his mother dragging him into his room; he stood over her by at least a foot. Finishing up washing his hair, Bruce turned the water to the opposite side causing the hot water to turn ice-cold. Letting the water run over his face, he hoped that any swelling would be reduced.

Standing in front of the steam-covered mirror, he was glad to see that the shades of bruises were slightly lighter than he first thought. With a hiss of pain, Bruce removed the contact from the black eye, as he knew it would have to come out anyway, before removing the other contact, he opened the medicine cabinet and pulled out the glasses he hadn't used in a while. Chuckling as he remembered that he thought contacts would help him look less nerdy. He put on the glasses after removing the last contact, turned on the fan to help remove the steam from the room and wiped off the mirror.

Opening the metal box, he pulled out the makeup that even his mother didn't know about. Applying it with such skill that wasn't normal for a 17-year-old male to have, he covered the bruises until it looked like he had bags under his eyes. Putting all the items back into the box and hid it behind the stack of toilet paper in the cabinet. Quickly pulling on his clothes, he threw the dirty clothes into the hamper and left the bathroom. He knew he couldn't avoid the kitchen forever, so he stopped thinking about what happened and looked for a sign of his mother. Finding none, he ate some toast and decided on getting out of the house. Grabbing his keys, cell phone and iPod, he noticed his wallet with the pass on the table near the front door. He grabbed both items and entered the warm summer day.

He didn't know how he got there, obviously he walked, but Bruce wasn't standing in front of the library, which was his intended destination. Instead, he was standing underneath the sign for the circus. Walking to the ticket booth, showing the pass, and walking around the circus, he wondered if he would run into Clint today. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he was secretly hoping that Clint would want to hang out again.

"Bruce! How long have you been here?" Clint asked, running up to meet the other teen.

"Just a few minutes, I haven't been here that long. Don't you have a show to do?" Shaking his head, Clint grabbed Bruce's arm and tugged him in the direction of a ride.

This continued for a while, Clint dragging Bruce from ride to ride and visiting every attraction in-between. Every time Bruce caught Clint looking at him, he prayed that he wouldn't be able to tell that he was wearing makeup, or that he looked 'overly tired' due to the bags under his eyes. They were able to covertly cut every line for the rides due to Clint knowing the operators.

"Lets go to that booth!" Clint happily said, leading Bruce to one of those 'knock over the milk bottles' booths. He wasn't surprised when Clint knocked over every bottle with the first ball.

"Congratulations Clint! Although, you already have every stuffed animal we carry, pick one for your friend and leave before I change my mind." Joked the attendant, before handing Clint the giant stuffed panda bear. Thrusting the bear into Bruce's arms, Clint continued dragging Bruce around.

They stopped for lunch at the joint near the water ride, Johnny's Burgers right next to the 'Niagara Falls'. Bruce got a slice of pizza while Clint asked for the chicken strips, and they ate under the shade of the tree, leaning against the trunk. No sooner than they both finished eating, Bruce was being led toward the water ride with an uneasy feeling in his stomach.

The ride was enjoyable, Bruce normally loved water rides so this one was just like all the others. When they got out of the seats thoroughly soaked as they sat in front, laughing as they walked away. Bruce took off his glasses and wiped his face on his shirt, not noticing the makeup stains that were left behind.

"Bruce, what happened to your face?" Clint asked cupping his face with his hand and turning it so he could get a better look.

"Well… you see…" Bruce mumbled, rubbing his hand on the back of his head before looking at Clint who was giving him that look. Without saying anything, Bruce knew that Clint wouldn't believe anything but the truth, so with a sigh, Bruce decided it would be best to just tell him.

"My father made a … surprise visit last night. This is the result."

"Come on, lets go somewhere private. You can tell me everything there." Clint said, noticing that Bruce looked both scared and ashamed. Throwing his arm over Bruce's shoulder, Clint glared at anyone who looked at Bruce for too long.

* * *

**A/N:** So Bruce told Clint, what is going to be his reaction, even I can't tell you that. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please let me know if you're liking it so far, or how I'm doing.

_RAY_


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the long break from updating this story. Work consumed the last week before school started back up and then I spent the rest of the time getting ready for school. Anyway, on with the chapter.

* * *

**Beyond the Masks We Wear**

Clint had an idea where Bruce was taking him, but he decided not to comment on it. Instead, he wanted to stand as a guard between Bruce and the one who hurt him. Knowing that it was too early for his mother to be home, he was stuck on the thought of his father waiting for him there, just like before. Placing a hand on Bruce's shoulder, Clint offered a reassuring smile after sensing the waves of anxiety rolling off the younger teen.

"Don't worry Bruce. Nobody will be able to hurt you when I'm around. They won't have a chance to." Clint spoke after he saw Bruce hesitate unlocking the front door to his house. With a deep breath, Bruce unlocked the door and slowly opened it. Both were greeted by silence, nobody was there.

Deciding on dragging Clint to his room, Bruce kept glancing into every room they passed, hoping that he wasn't there. Even though he knew that they were relatively alone, Bruce couldn't feel safe, even with Clint glancing at the door every few seconds. Eventually, Clint broke the silence that had consumed the room they were in.

"If you don't want me to stay, I can go. I just wanted to make sure that you were safe." Clint didn't know what to do with his hands so he just shoved them into his pockets. Giving a concerned look towards the other teen, who was currently sitting upright on his bed, staring into space.

"If you want to stay, I wouldn't mind. I just don't want to keep you from your job." Bruce smiled weakly at Clint and shrugged his shoulders. He knew that nobody would miss him. His act, while dangerous, lacked the crowd appeal like the man who sticks his head into the lion's mouth.

They moved back through the house, into the living room, where Clint plopped down onto the couch and grabbed the remote to the TV. Flipping through the channels, neither one could agree on a TV show to watch. There wasn't anything on in the mid-morning broadcast that wasn't preschool shows, infomercials, or the news. Deciding on watching a movie, Bruce let Clint choose, and offered to make them some popcorn.

"You really want to watch Mary Poppins?" Bruce asked returning from the kitchen with a giant bowl of popcorn.

"What's wrong with a classic? It's a good movie and my favorite movie with Julie Andrews!" Clint replied with a grin, patting the seat next to him on the couch.

Eventually the movie ended, after Clint sang along to every song, to which Bruce was surprised he knew every word. His mother returned, shocked to see Bruce home with another person.

"Hey mom, this is Clint. We met at the circus." Bruce didn't know if his mother would be okay with a slightly older teen in the house without her knowing. Or if he told her that Clint worked for the circus, he didn't want her to worry.

"It's a pleasure to meet you ma'am. Bruce here only says wonderful things about you." Clint rose from the couch and extended his hand, and gave her a bright smile.

"You met Bruce at the circus? How interesting. You must tell me how you two met." His mother said shaking Clint's hand returning his smile.

"I'll go get started on dinner." Bruce said, wanting nothing more than to leave the company of his mother and Clint. He felt nervous that his mother would get furious for inviting Clint to dinner, but when he heard her extend the invitation, he knew that it would be all right.

Dinner with Bruce and his mother, under normal circumstances, was a relatively quiet affair. It wasn't that they didn't talk to one another, but they were used to their quiet, comfortable life. However, with Clint attending their normal dinner, he wouldn't stop talking about everything and anything. He would compliment Bruce on his cooking, or Bruce's mother on her beautiful home. Clint would make jokes about the happenings of the circus, things he noticed in the crowds during a show.

"So tell me, how did you two meet at the circus?"

"Bruce was chosen to be a volunteer in the act I do the "Blind Archer" and his impeccable aim. For being such a good sport, the ringleader told Bruce that he could go backstage and meet me." Clint answered without hesitation.

Bruce carefully gauged his mother's facial expressions while Clint explained their meeting. She didn't seem all that surprised when Clint told her that he worked for the circus as an act. Bruce rose from the table and grabbed the dishes from the table; he was glad that he decided to make something simple, Parmesan chicken.

Washing the dishes, Bruce didn't hear Clint walk into the room. He almost jumped when he felt Clint bump into him as he rinsed the dishes and dried them. With a small smile, Clint just winked at Bruce before placing the few plates back into the cabinets. Soon they had finished the dishes and were scooping ice cream into three bowls before returning to the dining room.

"Why don't you stay the night Clint?" Bruce's mother asked after taking a bite of her ice cream.

"I don't want to be a bother."

"It wouldn't be a bother, I insist."

Clint didn't know how to respond so he nodded his head and took another bite of his ice cream. After a while, Bruce's mother excused herself, placed her bowl into the sink and retreated to her bedroom for the night. Bruce just stared at Clint for a minute thinking that he could get used to this.

'_Wait, am I … No, I can't be. Can I?' _Bruce thought as he took a bite of the ice cream.

* * *

**A/N:** I am currently sick when I wrote half of this. You might be able to tell when I got sick while reading this. I am sorry that it has taken me this long to update, school is getting longer for me and being sick doesn't help one bit.

_RAY_


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** I'm not sure if I can keep up writing consistently when I have other deadlines and issues that get in the way. I've been so tired from school that when I get home, I am unable to do anything than the homework I have to and sleep. Anyway, you didn't come here to listen to me complain. So I will let you get to it.

* * *

**Beyond the Masks We Wear**

Bruce woke up and instantly panicked upon hearing someone else's breathing in his room. He wasn't used to hearing such sounds this early in the morning, or at all. Turning to the direction in which the sound came, Bruce saw Clint sleeping in a pile of comforters, pillows and sheets on his floor. Clint was sleeping in the middle of the pile and was surrounded, almost like a bird in a nest. Grabbing a loose blanket, he covered Clint and made his way to the kitchen, having decided on making breakfast. Grabbing the eggs from the fridge, along with some milk, butter, peppers and ham from a leftover dinner, settled on making an omelet for both himself and Clint.

Not knowing if Clint liked cheese on his omelet he passed on it but still put it on the table, in case he did want it. Bruce looked in the freezer, trying to find some bacon to fry up. He started frying the bacon, as he mixed the egg, chopped peppers, milk and ham together in a large bowl. Within a few minutes, the bacon was just turning crispy so Bruce turned off the burner and placed the bacon on a plate before moving it to the table.

Clint woke up to the smell of bacon and the faint sounds of activity in the kitchen. Bruce's bed was made, and didn't look like it was slept in, but he knew that Bruce was there all night. He could hear him talking in his sleep, mostly about the circus and the guy he met there. Walking through the hallway, after folding the blankets and sheets he used last night, he found Bruce in the kitchen cooking breakfast.

'_He didn't have to make me breakfast, I'm used to making my own.'_

"Good morning Bruce. It smells delicious, is you're mom here? I could take over while you go get her." Clint offered moving towards the origin of the wonderful smell.

"That wouldn't be necessary, she leaves for work pretty early most days. She's already gone. Its just the two of us."

'_Why did I have to say it like that?' _Bruce thought as he flipped the omelets, his back to Clint.

"That's too bad. Anything I can do to help?"

"I've got it, unless you want to get the drinks ready. These will be done in a minute or two." Bruce said, lifting one of the omelets to check if it was cooked through, it wasn't quite done yet.

"Sure thing! What do you want to drink?" Clint asked grabbing two cups from the cupboard before opening the fridge.

"I think we have Orange Juice in there, I'll have that. Help yourself to whatever you want." Bruce offered as he plated the omelets onto the plates he already had out.

They were sitting at the dining table, making small talk while they ate and laughing about what was on the news. After a few minutes, Bruce had finished his omelet and a few pieces of bacon, while Clint was still eating. Taking this time to openly stare at Clint, Bruce wondered if what he was feeling might be reciprocated.

* * *

**Later that day, at the circus**

Unbeknownst to the two teens, there was a pair of eyes that followed them with malicious intent. Clint thought he was paranoid, as he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched, but whenever he looked there wasn't anyone looking in his direction.

However, people who worked at the circus started recognizing Bruce even when Clint wasn't around and would stop and say hello before rushing off to fix something. Clint smiled whenever he saw Bruce's face light up whenever somebody stopped him and chatted with him for a minute. He gathered that Bruce lead a relatively lonely life, mostly in fear.

* * *

**That Night**

Clint wasn't surprised to find himself following Bruce to his home, with his bow this time. After the odd feeling he had all day, Clint didn't want anything to happen and be unprepared. Thankful that his bow looked like a child's toy, he received some odd looks from the neighbors as he walked down the street that led to Bruce's house. Clint's stomach knotted as he saw the figure looming in front of their destination.

"Hello father. How are you today?" Bruce asked with a blank expression on his face. He knew enough to not address his father but all he wanted to do was hide with Clint.

"I see you brought your fairy boyfriend home with you. Your kind make me sick to my stomach."

Clint immediately readied his bow, he wasn't planning on hitting a vital organ or artery, but he was going to make sure that it hurt regardless. As soon as he saw the other freak ready a weapon, he charged at Bruce. Snapping his eyes shut, Bruce stood there waiting for it to happen.

Clint let the arrow go, just grazing the side of Bruce's father's face. Falling backwards, Bruce's father scrambled to his feet and ran off not before giving a nasty look to both Bruce and Clint.

* * *

**A/N:** Short-ish chapter that makes no sense in my mind, probably because I wrote it over a two week period. Hopefully it makes sense to you all. Please let me know what you thought of it as it makes my school week oh so much better~!

~Ray


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** Basically, I've been contemplating how to write and maintain my education and while I feel like every chapter I feel like I harp on the same issue; that I cannot write while everything seems to be piling up around me. This issue still stands; I barely have time to do anything other than finish my schoolwork because of my current situation, hopefully either next semester or the upcoming holiday season I will be able to write more frequently. Despite this, I want to thank each and every one of you who remain loyal readers because it's your dedication that inspires me to write.

So I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.

* * *

**Beyond the Masks We Wear**

Moments after Clint released the arrow, he grabbed Bruce's arm and dragged him into the house. Shutting the door with a little more force than necessary, Clint crept over to the window just to make sure that the man wasn't going to try and come back. After making sure that the ignorant man wasn't in the vicinity, he wondered where Bruce was, he hadn't heard the other teen.

"Are you okay Bruce?" Clint inquired after seeing the state of the other teen. Pale in the face, slightly shaking and staring as if he could see into another dimension, Bruce seemed to be in a state of shock, or panic.

Placing his arms around Bruce, trying to ignore the flinch that resulted, Clint led him to the couch. Kneeling in front of the shaken form, Clint placed his hand on Bruce's trying to snap him out of it.

"He was following me…us. My father was following us all day. He was there at the circus." Bruce spoke so quietly that Clint had to strain his ears just to hear him.

After a few minutes of Clint trying to reassure that Bruce wouldn't be hurt again. They settled on the couch, watching as the images flashed across the television. After half an hour of simply flipping through the channels, Bruce's mother walked in. She wasn't surprised to see Clint sitting next to her son on the couch, however she wasn't expecting Clint to rush to her side and practically push her into the kitchen.

"Clint, what has gotten into you?" She asked glancing over to her son on the couch; both boys were acting quite odd in her mind.

"_He_ showed up. Outside and said some fucked up things to Bruce. Sorry." He realized his use of profanity the second he said it, and felt somewhat embarrassed by it.

"Oh. So you met my _husband_. I'm so sorry. I've tried to get a divorce but he avoids the paperwork. Bruce won't talk to the police about the incidences so I can't technically get a restraining order.* Did he do anything?"

"He just said that people like Bruce, like 'us' were sick. I know what he meant, but I think the shock of being 'outed' like that must have pushed Bruce over the edge. I don't think Bruce knew that I knew he was gay."

"Wait, how did you know? I barely knew three months ago when I noticed him trying to subtly glance at men walking by. I didn't want to bring it up, I thought he would tell me when he was ready." Bruce's mother walked around the kitchen as she explained how she found out about her son and his interests.

"Well, it's kind of a long story…." Clint trailed off before she waved her hand in the general 'keep going' gesture.

* * *

_**FLASHBACK**_

_Clint led Bruce through the crowds, past the giant tents and behind the lioness area and sat on the wooden fence, legs dangling over like it was normal. Giving Bruce time to calm down and gather his thoughts, he waited patiently for an explanation._

"_My father isn't the most open-minded individual, to put it gently. He hates anyone who doesn't share his ideas. He wasn't around much when I was a child, but when I was around 15, he showed up acting like he was there from the beginning. For a while it seemed like things would work out, until he realized I was different, smarter than he was and able to think for on my own and could form my own opinions. Obviously my opinions weren't favorable in his eyes so he took it out on me. My mom kicked him out that night. However, he still shows up once in a while and well, you know what happened."_

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"I had no idea at that minute what Bruce meant by 'different' but I had some sort of inclination that it might have been the fact that he liked guys." Clint finished explaining. "I wonder if I might be able to get Bruce to talk to the police about his father. That is if he ever snaps out of this shocked state."

"It couldn't hurt to try. Are you hungry? I was thinking about making dinner, and I won't accept no for an answer." Nodding in response, Clint walked back to the living room and grabbed Bruce's arm and led him into his room.

Sitting on the bed, Bruce still hadn't said a word, not even a sound of acknowledgement that they were walking towards his room. He just stared off into space, with a look on his face like he was trying to solve an impossible problem. Not knowing what to do, and having these _feelings_ from before. He leaned in and did what he wanted to do since after the first day he met Bruce. Kissed him. Blinking rapidly, Bruce realized that there were lips on his own. Pulling away he noticed the dejected look on Clint's face.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know how else to snap you out of your own head. I think you got lost in there. Are you okay?"

"No. I want to talk." Bruce said with a fierce tone, one that Clint had never heard from the other teen before.

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**A/N:** Yup. So I finished a chapter. I hope you enjoy it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** Well I don't really have anything new to say, except I am almost done with my semester, and I am really excited. I do hope you all haven't been too upset with me about the lack of updates. I try really hard to update, but it is hard when I have three 5-page essays due within a week of each other. You guys are here to obviously read the next chapter, so I will let you guys do just that.

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**Beyond the Masks We Wear**

Bruce and Clint ate dinner, neither one of them would look at the other for too long. Bruce hadn't forgotten about the kiss earlier in his room, and he was trying to decide if Clint had done it to just snap him out of his own mind or to convey some other emotions. Thankfully his mother didn't notice the awkward aura that permeated the dining room, but if she did, he was glad that she didn't bring it up. Clint happily ate the food, thankful that he could eat such a wonderful meal, as back at the circus, the food wasn't always the best and rarely tasted like it was homemade. Offering to clean up the dishes, Bruce gathered the plates from the table and began washing them, hoping to get a minute to gather his thoughts before asking Clint.

Turning around to gather the rest of the dishes, Bruce jumped as Clint was standing behind him holding the rest of the dishes from the table. Taking a deep breath, to calm himself from the jolt of surprise, Bruce took the dishes from Clint and carefully placed them into the sink.

"About before…" Bruce started before Clint held up a finger to silence him. Bruce just shut his mouth and nodded, letting Clint speak.

"I like you Bruce, I really do. I just don't want to cause you any trouble. You're in high school, destined to attend an amazing science university. I don't want to get in the way."

"You wouldn't ever cause me any trouble, if anything I feel like I caused you trouble since day 1. I know it's selfish, but I really don't want you to leave. I-" Bruce didn't know if he would be able to say the remaining two words. Looking down at the linoleum floor, he mumbled out the last part.

"What did you say Bruce? I'm not on the floor." Clint joked, giving Bruce a little shove before placing his hand on the other's shoulder. Opening his mouth again, Bruce wasn't able to finish as Clint had pulled him into a lung-crushing hug.

"I heard you the first time. I feel the same Bruce. Go talk to your mom, she wanted to have a conversation with you before we head to the Police Station tomorrow. I'll take care of the rest of the dishes." Clint released Bruce and took his place in front of the sink, washing the remaining pans and pots that were used to cook with.

Walking back into the living room, he found his mom sitting on the couch with an expression on her face that he couldn't place. She looked different, almost happier but at the same time her demeanor gave her an ominous aura.

"I know Bruce." She said after he sat down next to her on the couch. He flinched at the expected onslaught of derogatory slurs. When they didn't come, he glanced at his mom.

"You do?"

"Yes. I've known for a while now, I just wanted to give you time to tell me. But from what I think you're going to ask me, I thought I should cut to the chase." Before Bruce could even form a syllable, she continued.

"I know you like Clint, and I have to admit that I think you look happier with him around. I don't know that much about him other than what he has told me. So even though I this may sound weird, if you want him to stay, just go for it and ask."

Giving his mother a quick hug, he returned to the kitchen finding Clint sitting on the counter, a pile of clean wet dishes stacked in the other half of the drying rack. With a warm smile, Clint hopped off the counter and followed Bruce into his bedroom, closing the door behind him.

"How was the chat with your mother? I hope it wasn't to shocking." Shaking his head, Bruce caught Clint off guard and pulled him into a kiss. Revenge for the kiss before dinner.

"I guess we're even now."

"Yeah, we are. I have something to ask you, but I don't know how you will react. However, I understand if you immediately say no." Bruce mumbled, scratching the back of his head.

"I even don't know what my response will be because you haven't asked me anything yet."

"Would you like to stay, here, with me, I mean with us?"

"You mean like… live here with you and your mom?" Clint asked, trying to understand what Bruce was saying.

Instead of getting a response, he saw Bruce nod before his face turned a shade of pink. Gathering the blushing teen into his arms, Clint whispered a "Hell Yes" into his ear, before falling onto the bed.

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**A/N:** Yeah its short. I wanted to stop before the Police scene, as that will probably take a full chapter to deal with. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I apologize for any errors as I am writing this in a very dim window as people in the library surround me.


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